Well I didn't really get much of a warm up in either days.
Cantura-
I was very active- attacked quite a bit but had a hard time getting people to bridge- Instead they towed the field. I felt very strong and finished around 11th. I think I could've easily been top 5 but I burned one two many matches and when It came down to the final little hill finish I jumped it a little too early and couldn't really sustain. I got swarmed by one small group. But I helped lead a UCSB alumni into 6th place so I felt good about that.

Pine flat was hard. my legs were heavy and the pace was fast. the final climbs came and z team and ucla dominated the front they split off and I had to settle into my own rhythm for fear of blowing up. I settled into a good place and gained as the z team guys popped off the competition one by one with their pace. I caught a bunch and then a bunch caught me on the decent leading into the final 1k climb. I played it smart on that last leg and didn't do any work. Most of the guys with me looked like they were pretty cooked so I waited for someone to jump and then grabbed his wheel. I miss judged the amount of time it would take to come around him. Ended in 7th (missed 6th by half a wheel, grrrrr). I learned A LOT that I will be taking with me.

lessons learned- I don't have to be the one to initiate the breaks... wait for someone else to go- let it get established- let someone else bridge- take their wheel. If no one else wants to work. NO PROBLEM- have patience sit in and make em hurt where it counts.

Sometimes there are guys who i will race with that are out of my league- when they have strong teams as well theres not much one can do- cycling is like chess and strong teams put the solo dude at a decisive disadvantage.

Patience patience patience.

I had a lot of fun and think with a little more smarts If i keep working hard and training like I have been I can get some good results.

It so great to be experiencing first hand what works and what doesn't. I can read all the tactics in the world from magazines and be told from more experienced racers but nothing beats experiencing it first hand.

I think I'll have a whole new game plan for the next race. ;-)

Oh yeah big ups to Cookster. The dude won the p/1/2 Cantura on a solo break he established in the first 11 miles and then Gary went ahead and took second place. Akers and Githens? Nahhh mang, they aint got nuthin' on Gary and Cookster! (really though Cookster rode off the front the entire race... by himself... and WON! You should have seen the snot and drool coming out of his mouth... EPIC! and talk about the GLORY. OH-MAN)
Jason and Smitty tore it up in the threes with Jason taking second in Cantura and Steve snagging a 9th place win at pine flat. It wont be long until they upgrade and join fellow platinum category 1/2 riders in OPERATION DOMINATION baby! Wiexy also rode a great race at pine flat and finished in the top half of the field.

Among other news the cleansing process has begun. Today marked my first day as a vegan. I made it through a whole day with out consuming any Animal products... Not making any life time commitments here... I'm just seeing how my body responds. ;)